


Rivets and Bows

by TamiHaru



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Artist!Levi, Awkwardness, Coffee Shops, Cute!Petra, Dorks, Eren and Jean work in a coffee shop, F/M, Levi is a gentleman, M/M, Pastel!Petra, Petra loves bows, Punk!Levi, Teacher!Petra, Writer!Petra, jeaneren is not the main pairing, rivetra, rivetra is the main pairing, sweeties falling in love, teacher!levi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-02-13
Packaged: 2018-03-12 05:52:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3345947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TamiHaru/pseuds/TamiHaru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before Levi's day in a cozy little coffee shop was always the same: nothing interesting happened.</p><p>Until the coffee shop gets a new regular.</p><p>Too bad he just sees her two times a week.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rivets and Bows

  
It's always the same cycle every Tuesday and Friday afternoon at 5pm. I would head out after class to a nearby coffee shop, order a big cup of the world's best tea and sit down on that same booth every time. If Farlan and Isabel were going to party in one of the city's nightclubs, I would take espresso instead of tea, because they would drag me with them by force. What a nuisance.

So, after hitting shuffle on my IPod and digging my sketch book from my bag, I would get comfortable and start sketching. I would draw a quick sketch from these two teens behind the counter, who were always arguing with each other. And I mean always. Sometimes I would draw some of the other customers, but it wasn't so interesting. Just a few giggling teenagers and one old grumpy man who glared at me like I have made a biggest crime by just drinking my tea in the same coffee shop where he was.

Or maybe it was because of my looks. I have no idea why people have so many prejudices about us, but everywhere I went, there was that one person who judges me.

I have to admit that I pull the gangster look quite well to be honest. A punk-guy like me was not someone you want to run into in a dark street later at night.

Still, even if I look like a gangster or a rapist, it doesn't mean I am someone like that. And you know, I can't really help the fact that I have a 24/7 bitch face.

That aside, art is my life. After my troublesome teenage years on the streets, all I have cared about is art. It just seems like it's the only thing that doesn't lie to you: art cannot really lie.

When drawing the two idiots grew boring, I would start to draw quick sketches of people who would run past the window on the streets or step in the coffee shop and order whatever they like. After few hours, I would thank the dorks behind the counter and head off to a club or home.

It went like that a while ago, but now, I have found myself studying this beautiful and extremely colorful young woman who was always typing furiously on her laptop.

One Friday she stumbled to the cozy coffee shop leaving water puddles after herself. It was pouring outside, but luckily I stopped myself in time from nagging to her about the water puddles. People are so careless and messy.

I was resuming back for sketching after being sure she was no one important, but when she headed for the counter and chirped a happy "Hello!" for the messy chestnut-haired shop worker, I found myself slowly taking off my headphones. My pencil stops moving too.

"Good evening Miss, and welcome to Acorn Hill's coffee shop. How can I help you?" the worker, Eren asked with a friendly smile.

"Um, no idea." she blurts out. Eren chuckles because of the fidgeting girl in front of him, and I see the new pink appearing on her cheeks.

_How sweet._

Okay no, I stop staring at them and start viciously coloring the dragon's wings.

"Well, would you mind telling me what's your favorite; sweet or bitter, or maybe spicy?" I hear Eren ask.

"Definitely sweet. I hate spicy things." she answered, and I was not surprised about it. The girl just screams 'sweet' with her light blue dress and light pink jacket. The pastel green monstrosity on her head, fuck tons of bows on her dress and white tights make her look even more uncommon. Don't forget the peeking cats on her tights and shoulder bag.

I force myself to stop staring at her again.

Eventually she orders a big mug of warm cocoa with obnoxious amount of marshmallows and whipped cream and stomps away towards the high bar stool in front of the window. She has this happy and bright smile on her face, which doesn't seem to wear off anytime soon. As I glance outside and watch the water bucket down from the sky, I realize how it conflicts with the girl's goofy smile.

World is so full of contradictions, I sneer when I put my headphones back.

 

~~~~~~

 

Oh no. My wonderings didn't end at that. Since then we have had this regular pattern together. Every Tuesday and Friday I arrive at the coffee shop first, and she follows after an hour or so. I order a mug of bitter tea, and she buys cocoa. Sometimes with whipped cream, sometimes with marshmallows. I sketch various figures, and she types on her laptop. You know, even her laptop is full of bows and stickers!

After few hours of comfortable silence and other people's occasional come and go's, I pack my stuff and leave. She notices it, and the brilliant smile she sends at me, makes me a bit giddy and unbelievably happy.

One time, I browsed through my sketch book, and found out that every other page was full of pictures of the pastel girl on the stools. I think I blushed, and the rest of my time in the coffee shop was spent furiously trying to sketch something else for change.

Another day the girl with her pastel clothes and bows arrived a little later than normally. The reason for her being late almost punctured my eardrums with her hideous screams and giggles. She was obviously a tomboy, completely different from the miss with her bows.

Tomboy ordered a big piece of strawberry cake and a latte, and the other took her regular cocoa. They sat on a booth, and quickly immersed into a heated conversation about… recent studies and animals i think. The brown haired tomboy with her weird ass goggles was the loudest. She also flailed around like a whirl wheel while explaining things, and the pastel girl giggled often to her.

I made a sketch of them, and found the other two dorks kissing behind the counter. Okay, I'm a regular here, I had my guesses that Jean and Eren were more than a pair of always arguing snotty noses.

And thanks to the tomboy, I learned the pastel girl's name: Petra.

 

~~~~~~

 

I never saw her wearing black. Petra had always at least one bow or a ribbon somewhere, and she always wore pastel colored clothes.

I think she looked quite cute, but I always snickered for the fact that she looked and seemed very different than me. Whereas she was full of bows and ribbons, I was full of leather and rivets. We were clearly from two different worlds, and it made me disturbingly sad, because she seemed like a girl with a sweet heart and honest mind. I have to say, honest people were quite hard to find these days. At least from the people like me.

Yet on another Tuesday, I was sitting in the booth sketching another picture of Petra sweeping a piece of hair from her eyes. At this point, I have given up. There is now two sketch books instead of one in my bag: one is a normal book and another is only meant for sketches of Petra. Petra's sketch book is one of my strictly protected secrets, because if Isabel happened to find it, I would be screwed. She's a total jackass if she wants to be, and my love life and interests were her favorite things to talk about.

Petra was huffing on the stool while almost drowning in a massive stack of scripts and sketches. Maybe she's a writer? I don't know, but I'm quite interested in her doings. What exactly is she working on her laptop?

I wanted to know, but I'm too shy. I'll never admit this to anyone, but I found talking quite hard to the people I was honestly interested in. To put it simply, I was shit with words, and awkward and blunt were my middle names.

Petra was not an exception.

"Why you don't just go and chat her up?" Jean had suggested one time. It was not his business, so I showed him hard away from me.

"Go kiss your boyfriend and mind your own business." 

I did not dare to look back and make sure if Petra might have heard Jean's smart ass comment, and left the coffee shop.

I couldn't imagine myself talking to her. She was way out of my league, and totally different than me. 

No fucking way.

 

~~~~~~~

 

So, I'm here, drawing, again, and Petra stumbles inside half an hour later than usually. She looks more tired than normally, and her hair and clothes are a little messed up.

"Good evening Petra! Um, are you okay?" Eren says and looks at her worriedly. 

"Hello Eren. I'm good thanks. Except i didn't sleep a wink last night." she mumbles and rubs her eyes like a little kid.

"Oh? What made you so restless?" 

"You know, work, school, stuff like that. Would you mind making me a double espresso instead of the usual, please? I hope a bit of caffeine would wake me up." she said and yawned. I started to think how horrible her day could've been if she has been that tired for the whole day.

"No problem! Luckily it's already half past 6 and the day is almost over." Eren chirped and started to brew the coffee. 

"Um, not when Hanji is involved." Petra muttered with a tired voice.

"Hm?" 

"My overly energetic friend who spends half of her life in her laboratory and the other half partying with various people. And after this she wants me to go to a club with her."

"Well, don't go with her?" 

"You seriously can't say no to that woman!" Petra claimed.

"Oh, well, don't overdo it alright?" Eren smiles and gives the coffee to her. 

"Thank you Eren." she thanks and hands the bill. I made it seem like I was totally immersed in my drawing when she went to sit on her stool.

Now I know some things about her, but it's not nearly enough. I don't know why, but I want to know everything about the person who right now is digging up her laptop from her satchel. It was rare that the person who wanted to talk was me and not the other one, because I'm not talkative at all.

She opens up her laptop and frowns. Her face looks so cute- wait no. I'm sure I'm not blushing right now, but for precaution I slowly cover my face with my sketch book. Lucky me: she didn't see it, but I heard snickering from the counter. I flipped the bird to them, but kept the book a little longer on my face.

A little later I realized why the idiots were laughing at me: I had drawn this epic picture of a drag queen, which was making a creepy face. It looked really absurd.

I collected myself and resumed back into drawing a tiger, but was quickly drawn back from it. Petra had stood up and was currently jumping around while cursing loudly. I couldn't help it: I started laughing, but quickly masked it to seem like a normal coughing fit. She wasn't buying it, and I felt her glare on me.

I looked up, and she was still glaring at me. Her glare was full of hurt, but I sensed that she wasn't serious. Not too long, when her pout turned into this sweet smile. 

Her face was now completely red and she looked really beautiful all of a sudden.

I answered it with a genuine smile, and that was rare of me. When Jean came to help her with a rag, I covered my smile and looked at the clock. Shoot, I had to leave now if I wanted to make it to the bus that took me to Farlan's. I hastily threw my things in my bag and put my jacket on.

Before leaving though, I went to the counter.

"Brat!"

"Whoah Levi! Don't do that!" 

"Do what? Anyway, stop playing around with your phone and gimme a cocoa with marshmallows." I snapped and dig up my wallet from my pocket.

"Wha- Got it, sir!" Eren shrieked and put the phone down. 

"Wait, cocoa? For you?" he stopped suddenly to stare me.

"No." I murmured and glanced at Petra.

"Oh." 

Sometimes I can't decide if Eren is really smart or really really stupid.

After he had finally brewed my order, I paid it, but didn't take it. 

"Could you take it to her? I'm in a hurry." I whispered and moved around nervously. Eren looked like he would say something regarding my 'cowardice', but decided against it when he saw my glare.

"Okay. Should I say that it's from you though?" 

I thought about it for a second, and smirked suddenly.

"Just say that this one punk bought it to her and that she should have a good day. Oh, and that she looked stunning." I explained and made my way to the door. 

"Got it! See ya Levi!" Eren shouted after me.

I was walking in front of the place where Petra was sitting and saw that Eren had just given her her cocoa. I saw her looking at me and grinning widely just before I rounded the corner.

For the rest of the night in Farlan's, I couldn't shake her smile from my head and soothe my wildly beating heart. 

God damn it! This feeling was straight from some sickly sweet romantic novel, not from my life!

  
  
~~~~~

 

So, should I be depressed? After I had bought her that cocoa, I haven't seen her in the coffee shop after that. Not on Tuesday's or Friday's, not a single time.

And that was four months ago.

 "Look! It's the freaky art teacher!" someone shouted when I was walking towards my classroom.

"Oh shut up, kid! Only your face is freakier than me and that's something." I answer bluntly.

The kids are used to this, but I know that they respect me. I drop my papers and essays on my work table after finally getting the door open, and the students start to pile in to the classroom. Few of the bravest girls chirp a silent greeting to me and almost run to their places face burning red.

Looks like I have fans even in this class.

"Good evening class! Let's continue with the Dreamland-projects. I assume you don't have any problems with them, do you?"

"No, sir!" they answer. 

The last couple hours of my workday went while I read through junior's essays and helped few kids to make their works a little unique.

"But I can't remember anything from my dreams, sir!" 

"What about nightmares? They are dreams too and really unique and thrilling."

My answer shut many of the boys up and it looked like they got an idea. Not long enough they were roughing in some outlines of different kinds of monsters. 

Everyone of the girls had a boy and a lot of pink in their work, but one snotnose dared to draw me. Looked like I was the man of her dreams.

"Wow look at that! Emily loves Levi! Emily loves Levi!" 

"Let her paint, morons. Got to say that her work is far more unique than your own. Oh camoon, dildos are unique yes but these works are going to be showed on the hallway. And I said no erotic dreams! Wait, I'm worried about your imagination if you only dream about dildos."

Tch, you should've seen their faces. Maybe I should take my words back: they were anything but used to my bluntness. 

Freshmans.

 

 

 

The class had ended ages ago, but I was still grading the essays. It was silent here, and the cleaner had visited already. The hallway was dark, and I had only my table lamp on.

Everyone would get scared if their door suddenly opened up even though you were quite sure you were the only one in the whole building. So I jumped, and my red grading pen did a long line on the paper. 

"Oh sorry! Did I scare you? I thought I was the only one still here." someone shrieked from the door, and I couldn't believe it.

I think my eyes were more like plates but I didn't care when I turned to look at the door. 

So, the new English teacher was the same pastel girl from the cozy coffee shop. Petra stared at me and looked like she didn't believe her eyes.

"Y-you! That punk guy!" she cried out, and for the second time, she made me laugh again. 

"And you're the clumsy one with her pastel and bows." I answered. She looked like a tomato, and she seriously started pouting.

"Don't call me like that! Besides, bows are cute…" she murmured. I looked at her up and down, and she was again full of pink bows, and that well-known green monstrosity of a hat on her head. 

"I can see that. My name's Levi." I smirked.

"I'm Petra. Thanks for the cocoa back then." She murmured and slowly started to walk towards me. She put a stack of papers on my table and smiled again, and glanced at my jacket I had put on the chair beside me. 

"One covered in rivets and the other in bows, what a weird duo." she giggled.

I was sold when I saw her warm eyes up close. Oh well, I was before but now there was no going back.

It's simple like that.

The essays on my table were suddenly forgotten when I breathed out a question I have been waiting to ask for months.

"Do you want to go for a coffee with me?"

**Author's Note:**

> Awws! Finally I did it! I wrote Modern!Rivetra, and punk!Levi.  
> So cool :o
> 
> Anyways, thank you for reading!
> 
> I also published this story couple days earlier in DeviantArt~
> 
> Also maybe more of this AU? Because I want them to kiss and really get to know each other. Plus, I think there's more to tell about hese two sweeties, and also those two dorks~
> 
> If you have any ideas, message me. I might write more of this if I get enough inspiration ;)
> 
> Can't wait! Bye! ^^


End file.
